Exercising machine



Dec. 9, 1930.

E. L. HYDE EXERCISING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1928 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 uNirsn STATES PATENT OFFICE ELBER'I L. HYDE, F SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO EXER-OISING MACHINE Application filed February 25, 1928. Serial No. 257,016.

This invention relates to exercising niavided with a buttonhole slot including a large chines of that type which employs an appliopening 9 adapted to be slipped over the head cator by which vibrations are imparted to the 10 of the stud 4 and connected by a reduced body, the applicator usually being a flexible portion 11 to a smaller opening 12, this ari strap or band, one or both ends of which are rangement permitting the applicator to be attached to a suitable operating device, such slipped on to the stud and its leather end to as a knob or stud rotated or otherwise moved ride in the annular groove 5. to produce back and forth endwise movement The two heads 3, as to their internal mechof the applicator. anism and operating devices, are alike, so 1 The object of the present invention is to that the description. of one will sulhce for provide an improved vibrating or exercising both. These heads are shown in Figs. 2 and 3. machine including such an operating knob Each head comprises a relatively thick discor stud whose amplitude of vibration may be like body portion 15 provided with a tubular varied within any reasonable or desiredlimboss 16 fitted over the driving shaft 1 and j its according to the pull of theoperator upon suitably secured to rotate therewith, as by the the applicator and in which, moreover, the cross pin 17. The back of each body is holparts may be so arranged that the operating lowed out or recessed, as at 18, to reduce device for the applicator so long as there is weight, providing an annular flange 19 with no pull upon it, is at rest, or practically so, a smooth peripheral surface and also a relawhen the machineis running. tively large reinforcing cross rib 20 through Further objects of the invention are in which extends a cylindrical chamber or openpa-rt obvious and in part will appear more ing 21, which may be bored or drilled. In

in detail hereinafter. said opening slides a carrier 22 having a tubu- In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation lar body portion, an inner chamber 23 and a 5 of one form of machine embodying the inven laterally extending post including a square tion; Fig. 2 is an end view, partly broken base 24: and a threaded outer end 25 on which out and in section, of one end head; Fig. 3 is the stud 1 is'screwed. This carrier has its a detail sectional view on the line 3-3, Figs. outer end closed, either by an integral end 1 and 2; and Fig. a is a detail view of one end wall or by the plug or di c 26 adjustable end- 9 of an applicator. wise in, the chamber 23 along the screw The main elements of the machine require threads 27 for a'purpose which will appear. no detailed description, as they are well The tube wall at the other end of the body known. Fig. 1 shows a shaft 1 rotatable in has its inner surface slightly tapered, as at 28. frame bearings 2 and provided at its oppo- This carrier may be made in several ways,

site ends with heads 3, each one of which either as a pieceof seamless tubing to which supports an operating device for an applithe lateral post is welded, or it may be formed cator, such as the headed wrist pin stud at havof a casting suitably machined, as by a turning an annular groove 5 to receive the appliing operation, to form its end portions and cater. The bearings 2 may be mounted in slightly reduced, as at 29, in the Zone of the any suitable frame or base resting on the lateral stud. This body is a close sliding fit floor or a table or fastened to a wall or any in the cylindrical chamber or opening 21 and other suitable fixed support. Shaft 1 may serves as a piston to compress the air between be rotated in any suitable manner and is its closed outer end and a closure at the outer shown as provided with a belt pulley 6 for end of the chamber 21, such as a plug or cap receiving abelt driven by any suitable device, 30 threaded into the opening and provided such as an electric motor (not shown). The with a through port 31, one end of which applicator may include a canvas or other forms a seat for a ball valve 32. The inner flexible band or strap 7 with its end portions surface of the plug 30 is tapered toward said suitably stiffened, such as by being provided seat, as at 33.

with a fairly thick leather end portion 8 pro- Within the chamber 23 of the carrier nests tapered portion 28 and surrounding a guiding pilot 35 suitably attached to a closure plate 36 at the opposite end of the through opening 21.

This closurei not only closes one end of the chamber 21 but also closes the end of a'slot 37 in the outer face ofthe head 3, and between I V the walls of which slot the square base'24 of the carrier post slides. I

Thethreaded portion of said post is a little shorter than theopening in the stud 4 into which it screws, and the shoulder 38 at the inner end of said threads lies very slightly outwardly beyond the face of the head 3, (as shown slightly exaggerated in Fig. 3) so that when the stud is screwed home to said shoulder its inner surface does notactually contact with the outer faceof the head. Moreover, the threads. 25 on one stud will be right handed and on the other stud left'handed, so that when the machine is running the friction effect of the applicator ends on the studs will always tend to screw them fast. at both ends of the operating shaft. i

It will be observed from Fig. 2 that the in ner end of slot 37 forms a stop limiting the movement of the carrier 22 caused by expansion of the "compression spring 34,. which is I under some compression in thatview. In

such position the axis of stud 4 coincides with the axis ofthe operating shaft 1. Therefore,

with the parts in the position shown, the stud v 4 spins on its own axis when shaft 1 is rotated.

cause there are none. both ends ofia double ended applicator se- That is true, even though the applicator ends are fastened to the two studs 4. As a consequence, there is no eccentricallyrotatingpart whenthe machine is rimning and the applicator strap hangs loosely and at rest from the danger of being injured by accidentally touching a rapidly rotating eccentric part, be-

However, assuming cured to the two studs and looped around the body of an operator, if the operator applies a pull to the applicator, as by leaning back in its loop, the pull is applied more or less equally to the studs 4. The two heads 3 are secured to their respective ends of shaft 1 in 'reve'rsed position or angularly displaced 180 to each other, as shown in Fig. 1. Shaft l rotates at approximately 300 R. P. M. Never.

theless, during each complete rotation a pull ,on one applicator end is applied to its stud 4 in all radial directions around the stud axis.

2 While the pull has its effect in all radial posi tions, for simple explanation we can refer only to the diametrically opposite pulls lengthwise of the line of the movement of piston 22. In one direction of pull the tendency is to compress the spring 34 and move stud 4 outwardly and in the opposite direction of practice, it is found that this pull applied to the applicator end tendsto move the stud 4 outwardly to a position eccentric to the axis chamber 21 has free relief to the atmosphere, the applicator pull produces eccentricity of the studr4 through the major part of the rotation of the head, with a quick inward movement of the piston and stud 4 when the direction of applicator pull is in the direction of expansion of spring 34, producing pullthe'tenden'cy is to assist the expansion of the spring in returning the piston 22. In.

a motion of crank 4 around the shaft axis which is not a true circle but more or less heart-shaped, with a short inward lobe at the topof the heart. For this reason the deviceis providedwith means for cushioning "or retarding return of the piston by the spring 34 after it has been moved to carry the stud 4 out. to an eccentricposition. The

means shown includes the ball valve 32. When the device begins to rotate centrifugal force carries the ball 32 outwardly and along the tapered seat 33.,to the position shown in Fig. 2, closing the port 31 against outward flow of air,-but permitting air to rapidly flow inwardly as the piston moves away from the port 31.

P The net effect of a, pullon the applicator is to move the stud ,4 outwardly to an eccentric position, depending upon the compressive force of the spring 34 and the pull on the applicator. The strength of the spring initially chosen may be of a desired value or maybe adjusted by shims or washers'or by adjusting the plug 26. Inthe ex treme outward position of piston 22 its end abuts the closure and stop plate 36. As the pull on the applicator is reduced spring 34 expands and the air in chamber 21is vented to the atmosphere, either around the piston (which is not an absolutely tight fit in the chamber) or through an adjustable relief port or valve provided for the purpose, such as theneedle valve 41 having a valve head cooperating' with a valve seat at the outer end of a small relief port 42 communicating with a large passage 43to atmosphere. This valve may be adjustedin matched relation according to the tightness of fit of the piston in the cylinder, sothat return movement of the piston from its extreme outward position to the position shown in Fig. 2'takes one or two seconds. Of course, slacking up on the applicator pull permits the piston to return toward its initial position, so that the device is more or less self-governing and main ;tainsthej' stud 4 at a definite eccentric posi- 7 tion depending upon the applicator pull.

In operation the device responds by more 1 or less of a pumping operation. In other words, an endwise pull on the applicator throws the piston outwardly and in the op posite direction of pull, 1/600 of a minute later, the piston tends to snap back to central position, but in so doing it compresses the air in chamber 21. If the relief port is sufliciently restricted the device will there fore pump up pressure in chamber 21 at a greater rate than the vent port can relieve it, so that a cushion is provided and maintained to retard return piston movement.

The device may be readily accommodated to persons of varying strength, such as a frail woman and a heavy man. This can be accomplished either by inserting light or heavy springs 34, by shims or washers, or by adjustment of the plug 26. The lighter spring is used for a heavy or strong man, because it is desirable to permit him to more readily move the piston 22 to its extreme outward position, while in the case of a frail woman, the spring should be more powerful to prevent her from moving the stud 4 out- Wardly too far. In this way it is possible to limit the amplitude of the vibration received by a given person to an amount adjusted to his or her own strength and vigor.

Ordinarily, the device requires no lubrication. although it may be lubricated if desired. In that case the piston is a more tight fit or seal in its chamber and it is necessary to provide suitable means for trapping the oil or lubricant and prevent it from being thrown outwardly through the port 31, which should therefore be directed laterally and trap the oil within the flange 19 of the head. It will be noticed that the piston 22 has a long bearing in its chamber and that the square base 24 is a close sliding fit in the slot 37, so that the square base 24 of the post supporting the driving stud is firmly supported in all positions of the carrier piston.

Obviously, it is unnecessary to use both operating heads at the same time. While the applicator is frequently used by applying its two ends to the oppositely moving studs and applying the body to its loop, nevertheless the applicator may be single ended and applied only to one operating stud, and may have a single handle, so that by pulling on it with one hand or wrapping it around the body and pulling on its free end. the vibration of one stud is efiective.

What I claim is:

1. An exercising machine, comprising an operating device adapted to have an applicator attached thereto, means for producing vibrations of said operating device, and yieldable means having a normal tendency to reduce the amplitude of said vibrations, said yielding means being connected to the operating device in such manner that the force ap plied by the operator to the applicator and thereby exerted on the operating device causes said means to yield and thereby increase the amplitude of said vibrations.

2. An exercising I machine, comprising a driving shaft, two operating devices vibrated in opposition to each other by said shaft and each adapted to have an applicator end attached thereto, and yieldable means for said operating devices and having a normal tendency to reduce the amplitude of the vibrations thereof, said yieldable means being connected to said operating devices in such manthe contrary effect upon its wrist pin member and moves. it away from the axis to increase its throwand the amplitude of vibrations thereby produced.

4:. An exercising machine, comprising, a shaft, an operating wrist pin movably mounted upon said shaft and provided with means whereby an applicator end may be connected thereto, yielding means normally tending to move said wrist pin toward the shaft center to reduce eccentric travel thereof around the shaft axis, and means for retarding such movement.

5. An exercising machine, comprising a driving shaft provided with two heads, an operating device transversely movable on each head toward and from central position and provided with means whereby an applicator end may be connected thereto, yielding means for moving each device inwardly, and means for adjustingsaid yielding means.

6. In an exercising machine, a vibrator device adapted for connection to a rotating driver, said device including a member mounted for movement toward and from the axis of rotation and arranged for operative connection of an applicator thereto, means whereby said member tends to move toward said axis when the driver is rotating, and means sensitive to outward movement of said device for retarding its recession.

7. In an exercising machine, a vibrator device adapted for connection to a rotating driver, said device including a member mounted for movement toward and from the axis of rotation and arranged for operative 8; In'an exercising machine, a vibrator device adapted for connection to a rotating driver, said device lncluding a member ,mounted for movement toward and from the axis of rotation and arranged for operative connection of anapplicator thereto, means 7 whereby said member tends to move toward we g r 9. In an exercising mach1ne,a vibratordesaid axis when the driver is rotating, a piston connected to said member, a. cylinder for said piston, and valve mechanlsm therefor.

vice adapted for connection to a rotating driver, said device including a member mountedfor-movement toward and from the axis of rotation and arranged for operative connection of an applicator thereto, means whereby said member tends to move toward said axis when the driveris rotating,a piston connected to said membenand a cylinder for said piston, and valve mechanism therefor including a ball valve seated by centrifugal force when said device rotates.

, 10. An exercising machine, comprising an operating deviceadapted to have an applicai tor connected thereto, means for producing vibrations of said operating device, saidoperatingdevice being adjustable in two directions to either increase or diminish the amplitude of its vibrations, and yieldable means having a normaltendency toadjust the operating device in one of said directions, whereby aforceapplied by the operator to the applicator causes said means to yield and produce motion of the operating device'in the other direction.

- 11. An exercising machine, comprising an operating device adapted to have an applicator attachedthereto, means for producing vibrations of said device, and means whereby during the production of such vibrations their amplitude is yieldingly reduced in opposition to the force applied by the operator tothe applicator and the amplitude of vibrations under any given condition is therefore automatically varied in accordance with'su'ch force.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

ELBERT L. HYDE. 

